


First Flight

by SleepingReader



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 14:15:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11232735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepingReader/pseuds/SleepingReader
Summary: Poe, flying and his droid.





	First Flight

He remembered sitting on his mothers lap, steering her A-wing through the atmosphere on Yavin IV. She guided his hands, told him what to notice and what to forget. Showed him where the controls were, and the things she built to make them work better. Shara Bey was a pilot, after all. And each pilot looks after their great loves, their wings. Shara had put in cup holders that rotated as the plane did, so her drink wouldn’t spill. Poe promised himself that he would do something like that as well. Shara had laughed at that, saying piloting runs through his blood and of course he would make the best pilot.

Of course, all good things come to an end. But Poe hadn’t expected that that end would be the death of his mother. Shara Bey had died when Poe was eight years old, just a few months after he had sat in her lap. Poe wouldn’t get out of the Force Sensitive tree that stood in their backyard for a day. He kept hugging the branches, willing the Force to bring back his mother, so they could go flying.

He didn’t fly for many years. 

But at one point, he couldn’t keep his head out of the clouds. He was afraid he would get lost in his sadness if he flew his mothers A-wing, so he settled for the X-wings of the New Republic. His simulations went well, but he was starting to get itchy for the feeling of a real fighter, like the feeling he had, sitting in his mothers lap so many years ago. Piloting, like she told him, ran in his blood, and it wanted out. 

There are no extra seats on an X-wing. No learners permit. Just you, your assigned droid and an intercom. You just hope you don’t die in the process. Poe found his X-wing, climbed aboard, put his helmet on and… found out he already knew how to steer this thing. He knew that if he pressed /that/ button the X-wing would tilt slightly. A pull of a lever and the X-wing would go to fighting position. Sure, the simulations were probably a great help, but he somehow found himself thinking back at that eight-year-old, clinging to the tree, asking to go flying. It was as if the Force had given him talent, and he just needed to supply the wings. 

Making speed on the runway, he switched on all the controls his mother had told him he should have on. The droid above him, an old R4 unit he didn’t particularly like, seemed to tell him off for already turning on a button. He told it not to worry. The droid seemed cross. Poe didn’t care. He was on the runway, and it was time to fly. 

When the weight left the ship and the ground faded to simplicity and the people looked like ants, Poe finally felt like he was where he belonged. Not only did his X-wing respond to every touch, he felt as if all his worries and doubts were gone. He wouldn’t get lost in sadness for his mother. And he definitely wouldn’t crash an X-wing. Even the annoying R4 unit couldn’t keep him down as he did a barrel-roll, followed by two loop-de-loops, whooping all the time.

On the ground, a former Princess muttered to a protocol droid that she would have to keep an eye on that one. 

Poe flew what felt like five minutes, but the two suns were already dipping below the horizon and it was time to touch down and go to sleep. Before he went, though, he thanked the R4 unit for its patience, and did all the checks his mother had told him to do.   
The next morning, he was one of the newest members of the New Republic. He was even allowed to select his own droid, as a special treat to the best flier of the new recruits. Of course, Poe being Poe, he negotiated with his captain until all of the new recruits could pick out their own droids. 

They were shown into a large area that seemed small by all the wires, cables, wall hangings and partially-assembled droids that scattered on the floor, wall and ceiling.   
Immediately, a flash of orange and white caught his eye. A small round droid, beeping in enthusiasm, bumped against his knee. Apparently Poe had caught the little droids lens as well. He kneeled down and introduced himself. “I’m Poe Dameron, what’s your name?”  
"Designation: BB-8! Expressing glee at meeting Master Dameron"  
“I’m happy to meet you, too, BB-8!”  
The droid-mechanic watched with affection at the two. She told Poe that BB-8 had been waiting for a long time for someone to like him, and she was happy they found Poe. Poe was even happier for a co-pilot who didn’t scold him for anything, and was as happy with flying as he was.   
The next time he flew, it was with BB-8. Their favourite music blasting over the speakers, the world small below and a whole galaxy above, waiting to be explored.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like it! Comments? Questions? Let me know!


End file.
